the new right

• what do they favour

  nuclear family
• view on changes that have led to greater family diversity

  -they're threatening the conventional family

  -producing social problems like crime & welfare dependency
• what does The New Right blame these changes in diversity on?


  state policies
• Almond argues : 


  -laws making a divorce easier undermine the idea of marriage as a lifelong commitment between man & woman

  -introduction of civil partnerships for gay & lesbian couples sends message that state no longer sees heterosexual marriage as superior

  -tax laws discriminate against conventional families with a sole breadwinner
• what do they point out about the increased rights for unmarried cohabitants


  > adoption rights, succession to council housing, pension rights

  -make cohabitation & marriage more similar

  -send out signal that state doesn't see marriage as special or better
• Murray - welfare policy


  -undermines conventional nuclear family

  -encourages deviant & dysfunctional family types
• Murray - welfare benefits offer 'perverse incentives' 


  they reward irresponsible / anti social behaviour:

  > fathers see state will maintain children, they abandon responsibilities

  > providing council housing for unmarried teens encourage young girls to get pregnant

  > lone parent family growth means more boys grow up without male role model
• result of boys growing up without male role model


  responsible for rising crime rate among young males
• encouraging a dependency culture threatens 2 essential functions :


  -successful socialisation of the young

  -the maintenance of the work ethic among young men
• The New Right's solution to these issues

  -policy must be changed

  -cuts in welfare spending

  -tighter restrictions on who is eligible for benefits
• advantages of cutting welfare benefits

  -taxes could be reduced

  -give fathers more incentive to work and provide for family
• advantages of denying council housing to unmarried teen mums


  -remove major incentive to become pregnant when young
• advocating policies supporting nuclear family


  -taxes that favour married couples (not cohabiting)

  -making absent fathers financially responsible for their children
• the less the state interferes with the family the better
• strength


  cutting welfare means taxes will be lowered